This post provides information & comments about the vernacular terms "reading someone", "throwing shade", and the vernacular saying "no tea no shade". One video blog on this subject with a partial transcription is included in this post.
The content of this post is provided for cultural and educational purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publishers of this video on YouTube.
WARNING: Most YouTube videos & viewer comment threads about reading and throwing shade contain profanity and other content that may be considered objectionable.
I consider the examples of profanity in this post, including in the featured video, to be mild profanity, i.e. the words "bitch" and "ass". Another somewhat mild "curse word" is given with partial spelling. (Remember I'm a grandmother. So give me some slack, okay? Thanks.)
AND AS A BONUS - a video of Reading Is Fundamental from RuPaul's Drag Race Season 4 along with a few comments from that video's viewer comment thread
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WHAT "READING" MEANS
From http://www.waywordradio.org/throw_shade/
"Reading, Reading to filth — To really let someone have it; to insult or criticize.
Ex: Well, if I see her out tonight, I will read her to filth. I will tear her sh&& up like newspaper.
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From http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=read
"Read
To tell someone about themself, mostly used by gay black men.
"That was a read honey!"
"Don't do it honet,* I will read your ass"
by Darren December 03, 2004
-snip-
"honet" may be a typo for "honey" or "hunty" . Click http://www.buzzfeed.com/saeedjones/a-beginners-guide-to-drag-speak for information about that word.
**
Read
"n. a taunt or mockery. A phrase or word used to mock someone in a humorous way.
When she said that you should have taken the receipt with your haircut, that was a read."
by Xing Shuay June 06, 2009
**
From http://www.buzzfeed.com/saeedjones/a-beginners-guide-to-drag-speak
"verb: to insult someone ruthlessly without breaking a sweat; see: Mariah Carey every time she refers to Nicki Minaj.
“Oh, miss thing. You don’t want it. I will read you six feet under and then twerk on your grave.”
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[Addition April 8, 2014]
Example of the use of "reading for filth"
"I am so tired of Courtney reading Joslyn for filth. I was rooting for her at the beginning, but her attitude is starting to turn me off. She just seems really pretentious and honestly I'm surprised the judges aren't reading her for her consistent middle-of-the-road performances. Ugh. /rant" http://www.reddit.com/r/rupaulsdragrace/comments/22hnsr/season_6_episodes_7_8_rupersized_postepisode/ "RuPaul Drag Race's discussion- season 6,episodes 7 & 8"
-snip-
Another commenter said that Laganja knew the difference between those two words, but she was just being clever.
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WHAT "THROWING SHADE" MEANS
From http://gawker.com/5980303/go-ahead-and-throw-all-the-shade-you-want-straight-people
Rich Juzwiak "Go Ahead and Throw All the Shade You Want, Straight People (1/30/13)
"When I want to explain exactly what shade (as in "throwing shade") is, I refer back to the expert words of Dorian Corey in Jennie Livingston's Paris Is Burning: "Shade is, ‘I don't tell you you're ugly, but I don't have to tell you because you know you're ugly.' And that's shade."...
The subtle shade that Corey speaks of is a rarity. ....Subtlety is a dying art, which you understand if you've ever been misunderstood on the Internet. Shade is a form of expression, and expression must shift to accommodate modern media. The form and understanding of it was bound to water down...
We remember the queens of Paris Is Burning; we remember how they lived and most of us do so in admiration. The proliferation of "throwing shade" is a small victory for them, a happy ending of sorts for people who thought a lot about the mark they were leaving, a realization of what was once all a dream. When we use it, we are saying "hooray for them," and we are serious, no tea no shade.
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From http://www.waywordradio.org/throw_shade/
Posted by Grant Barrett on January 4, 2006
"throw shade
throw shade v. phr. to take a superior attitude; to criticize, demean, or insult; to diss or derogate. Editorial Note: This term has is most often associated with Black English, but it is also said to be used among gay and cross-dressing performers and club-goers. Etymological Note: Probably related to shade, v., which means “to defeat, to outdo” and dates to at least as early as 1925 and also to the far more common put in/throw in the shade with the same meaning. A mild form of the term was popularized during the late 1980s and early 1990s when the much-hyped dance and peformance style of “voguing” came to widespread attention. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)"
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WHAT "NO TEA NO SHADE" MEANS
From http://www.realitynation.com/tv-shows/rupauls-drag-race/drag-queen-lingo-dictionary/23856/#_is=1p3t37yfyodshywg1vwh3pbgmh
"No T, No Shade — No disrespect. According to RuPaul herself via Twitter: “No T No Shade = I’m not trying to come for you or offend you, but this is what its really like.”
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From http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=No%20Tea%20No%20Shade
"No Tea No Shade
A phrase meaning:
I'm not trying to come for you or offend you, but this is what its really like.
A phrase you add at the beginning or the end of a sentence that can be seen as negative to somebody, but its not supposed to be, and just stating the obvious.
Ex. 1 - Girl! No Tea No Shade, but you need to fix your hair.
Ex. 2 - Girl please! I can't get with some one I'm not attracted to, No Tea No Shade!
by <3qaadir September 12, 2009
**
From http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20120510161850AAa6f98What does no tea no shade mean from RuPaul show?
Neil answered 2011
"As you wrote, it is 'no tea no shade'.
It is used at the beginning of a sentence and means, "I'm not trying to offend you..." and then they go right ahead and offend you."
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SHOWCASE VIDEO : Welcome To Reading and Shade 101
Will Howard, Published on Jan 6, 2014
Ladies and Gentlemen, I am here today to give you lessons in reading and throwing shade, along with history and tips. This is Reading and Shade 101! Class is in session!
Credits: Music "Throwing Shade" - Shaun Bentley
Movie Clips: "Paris Is Burning"
For more references on reading and throwing shade, check these YouTube Videos and Accounts out:
Got To Be Real Parody (LaBelleOfTheBall2)
Hater's Mansion (Phabian Mitchell)
The Legends Panel (ithl123)
Take Care everyone!!!
-snip-
Excerpts from that video:
"Reading (v) to insult
(looking for a flaw and then making it bigger)"...
“If you can’t read, stay out of the library.” [Don’t attempt to give a person an insult if you don’t know how to read]...
"Shade – (n) a subtle insult in the form of a question/statement.
Basically I’m insulting you, but at the same time I’m not.
Throwing shade (v) – the act of shading.
Two ways that you can throw shade
1. Non-verbal (for instance, give a side eye, look a person up and down, flip their hair to insult someone elses’ hair)
2. Verbal:
Example:
First person -"Hey you looked good in that movie I seen last night.
Second person- Movie? What movie? I was never in no movie. What movie could you be talking about?
First person – Planet of the Apes.
Tips:
1. Be creative [Throwing shade is a art form, a skill, a mindset]
2. Have the right poise [look confident and relaxed. The last thing you want to look like is intimidated]
3. Tone and Expression (Delivery is EVERYTHING)
...Don’t forget, “reading is fundamental”."
-snip-
"Reading Is Fundamental" is the name of a widely known in the USA reading (books) readiness program.
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BONUS: RuPaul's Drag Race: Reading is Fundamental - Season 4 - LogoTV
Logo TV, Published on Sep 11, 2013
-snip-
Explanation of Sharon Needle's read on Dida Ritz, and African American contestant:
inasexymood, 2013
"I was inspired by your knees." lmaoooooooooooooooooo!
Reply
Dadacomero, 2014
"l didn't get it ? can u explain it ,please?
(l'm italian)"
Reply
inasexymood, 2014
"+Dadacomero Sharon is saying her spooky 'gray' drag aesthetic was inspired by Dida's ashy knees (dry skin, especially around knees and elbows, tend to look grayish, 'ashy'. Everyone can have it, but on darker skin it's more obvious). Exquisite read."
Reply
Dadacomero, 2014
"loooooooooooooooooool
X'D thank u!"
-snip-
Additional comments from that video's viewer comment thread:
Taose HunHan, 2013
"Phi Phi can dish it but she can't take it. She was THE WORST and how rude of her to say that Sharon was weak when all she did was call people names. Shade is about insulting without being to obvious or in your face Phi Phi."
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Anthony DeVeaux, 2014
"There's a difference between reading and offending people, Phi Phi. Take notes."
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Chris Horn, 2013
"Why is it that the girls who throw the most shade throughout the competition (Tati, Phi Phi, Roxxxy) are always the ones who 1) Are crap at the reading mini-challenge and 2) Always make a narky comment when their "enemy" reads them?
I mean the nerve of Phi Phi saying "That was a weak one" when all of her reads were pathetic and tryhard."
**
OrangeXenon54, 2013
"No offense to Latrice, who I LOVEEEEEEEEEE, but Sharon obv won that one, especially when he turned Phi Phi's joke on her during his time."
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Tony Lewis Williams, 2013
"Sharon, I love how you rocked the Party City!" "That's where I got your Lady Gaga wig!" LIVE FOR SHARON! xD"
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timemonkey, 2013
"You know a queen is crap at reading when the person they're trying to read reads them better with their own material."
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WaterElementall, 2013
"Everyone was reading except phi phi. Reading isn't trying to embarrass the person. Everyone else was HILARIOUS and in no hostile way what so ever. I love it! "
**
Frederica Bimble, 2013
"I like Latrice's laugh when Dida says, 'you don't have to rock the prison yard look anymore'."
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BONUS 2: March 7, 2014
Here's a comment from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7Zt8Z5B8Eo "RuPaul's Drag Race - Dragged to the Dark Side - LogoTV" about throwing shade and Gia, a contestant from Season 6:
Misterms Reason, 2014
..."Gia does not understand the foundation of throwing shade and just uses cliches like a parrot with zero understanding . A ladyboy mincing around a room being rude is no more throwing shade, than Susan Boyle in a bikini is being a Sports Illustrated model. Shade is a form of satire a word Gia clearly does not understand as it possess more than 2 letters. Now that is shade,"
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